Enrolling in EME 466

Bloom where you're planted!  We know that most of our students aren't relocating for a job immediately following graduation.  You have roots where you are, and we want to help nurture you in the community you already call home.  In that spirit, let's use your capstone as an opportunity to expand your professional network where you live!

The most critical component to a successful capstone project is having an enthusiastic and engaged Community Partner. The spirit of this project is to advance energy and/or sustainability-related initiatives in your own community while affording you the opportunity to network in your own backyard. Your partnership could be with a non-profit organization, local business owner, or government entity. You'll work with them to establish or advance some energy and/or sustainability related initiative with policy implications (either at the local level or within their organization). Because this partnership will be central to your experience in the capstone semester, we need to establish it early so that you and your partner can then start solidifying the work you'll do for them during the semester itself.

EME 466 Enrollment Approval Process

Prework:

  1. Confirm eligibility:  Contact your academic adviser to confirm that you are eligible to take EME 466. 
    1. Prerequisites:  GEOG 30N, CAS 100, GEOG/EME 432
    2. Cannot be taken concurrently with EGEE 495 Internship
    3. Taken in last semester; if graduating in summer, taken in preceding spring
  2. Review the Capstone Project Overview as well as other associated components of the project noted on this course website. No need to contact any of these folks yet.
  3. Identify 3 unique possible partnerships. Whether it's an organization you're already familiar with or one you'd like to build connections to, identify 3 possibilities. 
  4. Complete the Capstone Interest Form. This will initiate the approval process with ESP faculty. The Capstone supervisor will provide feedback on which option(s) to pursue.

Building the project:

  1. Connect with prospective Community Partner(s) to learn about how you can support their work. The starting point is a community partner you want to work with (and who wants to work with you) and a topic of interest and value to them. We’re trying to advance something they’re already interested in and possibly invested in but perhaps don’t have the staff resources to work on right now while providing you with a good networking opportunity right in your own backyard.
  2. Discuss with your Community Partner: (1) the scope of work you'll be doing for them over the course of a semester and (2) the types of deliverables your work will produce for them.
  3. Submit your draft project scope and deliverables to the instructor for consideration and revision via email. Note, it's often the case the Community Partner plays a continued role in this piece as we refine the project. The EME 466 instructor and the student will work to refine the project so it's an appropriate amount and level of work for an undergraduate capstone.

Registering for class:

  1. The EME 466 instructor approves the project and schedules a kickoff call.  The scope of work, deliverables, and deadlines are finalized during this call.
  2. The EME 466 instructor provides the student and the Community Partner with a Project Agreement for signature.
  3. Once the Project Agreement is fully executed (student, instructor, Community Partner), the instructor registers the student for the course.

Deadlines:

Your Capstone Interest Form must be completed by these dates:

  • October 15 for spring semester enrollment

  • July 15 for fall semester enrollment